Fight for your Right to Racism?

30 May 2008No Comment

I wish that this Fukudome story had a happy ending but that remains to be seen.

Read on….from the Sport Business Daily:

“The distributors of a T-shirt featuring a racist caricature of Cubs RF Kosuke Fukudome that are being sold outside of Wrigley Field said that they “plan to sue the Cubs over the team’s efforts to halt sales,” according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. The Cubs said that they “haven’t been officially informed of any legal action.” The shirt features the “image of the Cubs’ cartoon-logo bear face but with slanted eyes and oversized Harry Caray glasses, surrounded by the words ‘Horry Kow!’” Cubs Chair Crane Kenney: “We’re from the Tribune Co. We’re a First Amendment company, so we rely on the rights of the printed word and speaking your opinions. But that’s just offensive. And that’s not educating anyone. That’s not pushing any legitimate agenda.” Kenney added, “It’s a trademark issue with us. We’ll prevail. But the fact they’re going to bring a lawsuit to continue to print something that offensive …” (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 5/29). More Kenney: “We’re going to do what we can, and we hope we get a little help (from the city) because that’s not what we’re about here, and I don’t like people profiting off something like that. None of us do” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/29).

Of course, I believe in free speech and all, but if you are going to sue over your “right” to profit off of racist products, then its my “right” to think of you fondly as an ignorant a**hole.